Former Tory MP and Sunak aide to face trial in 2028 over alleged election betting offences
By Henry Vaughan, home affairs reporter at Southwark Crown Court
A former MP who was an aide of Rishi Sunak faces trial in 2028, accused of cheating by gambling on the date of last year’s general election, a court has heard.
Craig Williams, 40, who served as the Tory MP for Montgomeryshire and Cardiff North, appeared at Southwark Crown Court alongside 14 co-defendants.
They sat in seats normally occupied by jurors because there was not enough room in the dock, and Williams, who served as parliamentary private secretary to Rishi Sunak during his time as prime minister, spoke only to confirm his name.
Williams, of Llanfair Caereinion, Welshpool, is yet to enter pleas to cheating at gambling and three counts of enabling or assisting others to cheat.
He lost his Montgomeryshire seat in last year’s election.
Judge Tony Baumgartner set a date for two eight-week trials – the first starting on 6 September 2027 and the second beginning on 3 January 2028, with Williams among the defendants in the later trial.
Others set to face trial with Williams include former Tory member of Senedd Russell George, 51, and Thomas James, 38, the suspended director of the Welsh Conservatives, both of whom have previously indicated not guilty pleas.
What are the allegations against those charged?
The charges come after “Operation Scott” was launched to investigate gambling by politicians and employees of the Conservative Party in the lead-up to the 4 July 2024 general election.
Before the poll was called, planning took place at Downing Street and Conservative Campaign Headquarters.
The 15 defendants are alleged to have placed bets based on confidential information gained from those rooms, or enabled others to place bets by passing that information on.
If convicted, they could face up to two years in prison.
A dozen defendants including Simon Chatfield, 51, from Farnham, Surrey; George; Amy Hind, 34, of Loughton, Essex; Anthony Hind, 36, of Loughton, Essex; James; Charlotte Lang, 36; Anthony Lee, 48; Laura Saunders, 37; Iain Makepeace, 47, from Newcastle Upon Tyne; Nick Mason, 51; Paul Place, 54, from Hammersmith, west London; and James Ward, 40, of Leeds, all previously indicated they would deny the charges, but are yet to enter pleas in the Crown Court.
Along with Williams, Jacob Willmer, 40, from Richmond, west London, and former police officer Jeremy Hunt, 55, of Horne in Surrey, have not given an indication of plea.
They were all granted unconditional bail until the next hearing on 15 December.